A Certain Girl (2)
Schwarz had not been walking toward the academy for long when he suddenly stopped in his tracks.
"Hm?"
The sight of a girl ahead made him tilt his head in mild curiosity.
She wore a hooded robe and carried a pure white box in one hand.
It was none other than the girl to whom he had just given up his tart at the bakery.
Looks like she's headed this way too.
He was about to resume walking when her next movements struck him as odd, and he halted again.
She kept glancing around uneasily, as if someone—or something—were hunting her.
"Is something the matter?"
He started toward her with a puzzled frown, only to freeze once more as a strange sensation washed over him. His eyes narrowed.
"…?"
It felt as though the very air had turned into a thick, viscous liquid pressing down on his body—an unpleasant, crushing weight, like being cast into the depths of the sea.
"Where have I felt this before…?"
A low murmur escaped him as he carefully sifted through his memories.
"…!!"
In the next instant a recollection flashed through his mind. Schwarz sucked in a sharp breath and began scanning the surroundings with open wariness.
That sensation was identical to the mana he had felt a year ago—when the assassin who had targeted Milia's life shattered an unidentified violet orb.
Why am I sensing that same mana here?
Even as the thought formed, his gaze locked onto several figures radiating an ominous, murderous aura.
Mysterious individuals cloaked head to toe in deep black robes.
There were three of them in total.
They kept a careful distance from one another to avoid drawing suspicion, yet every pair of eyes was fixed unerringly on the girl.
He could not know the full story, but even a glance made their ill intent plain.
Wary that they might notice him, Schwarz slipped into the shadows and watched their movements—until…
"Ah…!!"
The girl suddenly bolted into a side alley. A soft curse left Schwarz's lips.
At the same moment the three who had been watching her turned and followed.
"I wonder if My Lady is going to scold me for this…"
After a brief pause he let out a short sigh, muttered the words, and set off after them.
Elis Nella Elianos, Second Princess of the Elianos Kingdom, harbored a secret known only to her personal maid.
Once a month, without a single attendant, she would slip out of the palace in secret.
Her goal was the raspberry tart sold exclusively at a certain bakery in Belton Square.
Of course, as a princess of the realm she could have simply summoned the baker to the royal palace whenever she wished.
But the thrill of sneaking out of the castle, the flutter of anticipation on the way to the shop, the eager waiting while the tart was prepared—those were the pleasures she sought in her little escapade.
That very escapade, however, was about to plunge her into the greatest crisis of her life.
A string of official duties had delayed her departure later than usual. She hurried to the bakery only to find the tart she wanted sold out by the barest of margins.
She had been ready to return empty-handed when a boy's kindness allowed her to fulfill the purpose of her secret outing after all.
In high spirits she had even begun humming as she made her way back toward the palace.
It did not last. She soon became aware of the gazes clinging to her.
An ominous mana pressed in from every side.
Realizing she was the target, Elis darted into a nearby alley.
The alleys of Barenberg twisted and tangled in a labyrinth; she had been certain she could lose them there.
She was wrong.
The black shadows pursued her with the ease of long familiarity…
"Hah…!! Hah…!!"
Her breath grew ragged as she ran.
She had left a double in her place. How, then, had they discovered her true identity and tracked her down?
A thousand thoughts raced through her mind, but there was no time for any of them.
This moment might well be her last, so she poured every ounce of strength into racing down the winding lanes.
And the black shadows closed in right behind her.
The footsteps at her back drew nearer, and a cold anxiety took root in her chest.
Then—
"…!!"
She rounded a corner and found a blank wall blocking her path. Elis skidded to a halt.
She spun to retrace her steps, only to find the black figures already barring the way.
"Who are you?"
"…"
Cornered, she demanded an answer, but they said nothing. Instead they drew swords that gleamed with a cold blue light from within their robes.
Elis bit her lip, tension etched across her face.
She could use magic, yet at such close range she could never face three opponents at once.
Still, surrender was unthinkable.
She was the Second Princess of the kingdom.
One day she intended to surpass her elder brother, the First Prince, and become the rightful ruler of this land.
For that future alone she could not fall here.
With a short, steadying breath she began to gather her mana.
At the same moment the black figures started toward her.
Just as she prepared her spell—
"Three grown men ganging up on an unarmed woman. Have you no shame?"
"…!!"
"Who—!?"
The voice came from behind them. The assassins whirled around to find a boy in a neat formal suit standing there.
"You…!!"
Elis could only stare in shock.
"Who the hell are you?"
"Just a passerby, if you don't mind."
The boy inclined his head politely.
Striking black hair with a dark-blue sheen, amber eyes.
It was the very same boy who had shown her kindness only a short while ago.
"Dispose of him."
"…"
At the order one of the shadows raised his blade toward the boy—
"N-no!! Run! Quickly!!"
Elis cried out in alarm.
The boy looked no older than his early teens at most.
Facing him were seasoned assassins. No matter how strong he might be, he could never handle three of them alone.
And yet.
[CRACKLE-CRACKLE-CRACKLE—!!]
"Gyaaaaaaah—!!"
The instant the black shadow lunged, a blinding flash and a tearing screech filled the alley.
When the light and noise faded, the stench of scorched protein rose with a plume of smoke, and the blackened corpse of the assassin toppled to the ground.
"A mage!? Impossible! He didn't even chant!"
"I have a rather unusual constitution."
The remaining shadows spun toward him in panic, but the boy was faster. In a blur he closed on the last two and thrust his hands toward their faces.
"You should be ashamed of yourselves."
One quiet remark.
Again the ripping screech and white flash flooded the alley.
Moments later the noise and light died away. Where the assassins had stood, only three charred, smoking bodies remained.
"Just what… are you…?"
Faced with the scene before her, Elis felt her legs give out and sank to the ground.
What this boy—who looked barely into his mid-teens—had just done was something she could scarcely comprehend.
"Are you all right?"
He approached and held out a hand.
"…"
After a beat Elis nodded and took it.
A short while later.
"I hope she's all right…"
He had escorted the girl he rescued to safety, yet a lingering unease made Schwarz mutter under his breath.
"Ah, whatever. It's already over."
Dwelling on it would only give him a headache. With that thought he opened the door to the General Affairs office.
"I've returned."
"You're late. Did something happen?"
"No, My Lady. I simply got lost again. No matter how many times I walk the route, I never seem to get used to it."
He offered an awkward smile at Milia's grumbling tone.
"Hurry up and make some black tea. I can't concentrate without it."
"Yes, My Lady. I bought the raspberry tart you like from the bakery. Would you care for some?"
"…"
He nodded and lifted the tart from its box, only to find Milia regarding him with a look of clear dissatisfaction.
"My Lady?"
"It's nothing."
When Schwarz tilted his head in confusion, she let out a short sigh as if to dismiss the matter and set down her stack of documents.
"Everyone, let's take a short break."
"Uuuuugh…"
"I'm running on empty…"
At her words Dane and Neris rose and headed for the modest tea table.
"Schwarz, come here a moment."
Milia, apparently uninterested in the refreshments, started toward the corridor and called him after her.
"Pardon? Yes, My Lady."
What could this be about? he wondered as he followed.
Even if Heine's handmade cookies were in a class of their own, Milia was the sort who could never resist anything sweet.
Yet she had left the tart untouched and summoned him instead.
It had to be something important.
After serving Dane and Neris cups of tea, he carefully closed the door and took his place beside her. Milia narrowed her eyes and studied him.
"My Lady? Have I done something wr—whoa?!"
A vague sense of dread made him start to speak, but in that instant Milia seized his necktie and yanked him down until their eyes were level.
"M-My Lady?!"
"I'll let it slide just this once. Don't lie to me again."
She delivered the warning like a quiet threat while Schwarz floundered in confusion.
"I… don't understand what you mean…"
"There's no point trying to hide it. I already noticed."
"Ahaha… I really can't get anything past you, My Lady."
He managed an awkward smile.
Milia released a short sigh and let go of the necktie. Schwarz straightened his collar and asked carefully,
"How did you know, if I may ask? It couldn't have been the smell."
"The scorch marks on your collar."
"Ah."
He turned to the corridor window, caught his reflection, and only then noticed the faint black smudges. A low groan escaped him.
When he had felled the assassins, soot from their bodies must have brushed against his collar.
"I won't press you for details. The reason is obvious enough."
"Ahahaha…"
He didn't want to worry me, of course. The thought made Milia sigh again at her dragon's sheepish grin.
How could anyone be so dense?
Not that she disliked that denseness.
"Chief! Aren't you going to eat the tart? If you don't, I'm finishing the whole thing!"
"Touch it and you're working overtime tonight."
Dane's voice drifted from inside the office. Milia answered with a playful threat of her own.
"If you're going to hide something, hide it properly. Don't half-hide it and make me worry."
"Yes. I'm sorry, My Lady."
"I'm letting this go because I know you wouldn't lie without a reason. Do it again and there won't be any mercy."
"I'll remember that."
Milia spoke with a light smile, yet the warning beneath it reached Schwarz clearly. Imagining the consequences of ignoring it, he simply nodded.
"If you understand, let's go back in. We have a lot of work, so eat quickly and get back to it."
"Yes, My Lady."
With that she stepped into the office, and Schwarz followed close behind.